The Value of Championing Student Employability

What sets Honoris institutions apart from other universities is our strong emphasis on employability to ensure that all our 71,000 students including the 23,000 we graduated this year, are well prepared for the labour market and the future of work.

From Casablanca to Cape Town, and Tunis to Abuja, our Honoris heads of employability share their passion for championing student employability across the continent.

Lutfiya Adam, Director of HR & Employability, Mancosa in South Africa

“MANCOSA’s Employability is aligned with the Honoris United Universities’ goal of cultivating 21st Century skills for our students and alumni to boost their employability within a dynamic world of work, whilst thriving to be industry leaders within the African landscape.

Through the various work readiness and career advancement programmes, MANCOSA’s Employability department in partnership with Honoris United Universities propels competitive skills in students and alumni to build competencies for both traditional and futuristic careers.

In response to the high unemployment rates in South Africa, we aim to not only shape a talent pool that can enter the corporate world but also become advocates for socio-economic upliftment through the enhancement of entrepreneurial skills.”

Salah Bousbia, Director of External Relations & Head of Employability, ESPRIT Group in Tunisia

“As a member of Honoris United Universities, Esprit Group through our pedagogical and employability departments provides a set of services that can significantly increase our student’s employability and make them stand out in a competitive job market. Some of the most important and valuable ones are:

  • Hands-on experience with modern technologies. In fact, employers are always on the lookout for candidates with practical experience and hands-on skills. This includes access to our labs, workshops, and other facilities that allow our students to apply their theoretical knowledge in real-world scenarios.
  • Specialization options which can help our students stand out to potential employers. For example, a focus on emerging technologies like AI, Robotics, or Renewable Energy may give our students an edge in a competitive job market.
  • Soft Skills Training such as communication, teamwork, and problem-solving are highly valued by employers. We help our students become well-rounded professionals that stand out to potential employers.
  • Internship and co-designed programs which are an excellent way for engineering students to gain real-world experience and network with potential employers. These programs provide our students with an opportunity to work on real projects and learn from experienced professionals in their field.
  • Career services and professional development which may include job search assistance, resume and cover letter writing, interview preparation, and career counselling. These resources can help students identify their career goals and develop the skills necessary to achieve them.

In addition, it is important for Esprit Group to champion the importance of employability for our students for several reasons:

  • Meeting services and manufacturing systems demands which are constantly evolving, and employers are always looking for graduates who can keep up with new technologies and developments.
  • Helping our students succeed in their professional career by doting them with strong employability skills and helping them to find fulfilling jobs and build successful careers.
  • Building a strong reputation for Esprit Group. In fact, our graduates who are highly sought after by employers build a strong reputation for Esprit Group in the academic and professional communities.
  • Meeting accreditation standards required by accrediting bodies to demonstrate that our graduates are prepared for employment in their field.”

Dr Fausat Modupe Aleshinloye, Dean of Student Affairs & Employability, Nile University of Nigeria in Nigeria

“All Honoris employability initiatives are intentional, goal oriented and purposely set to achieve positive result. More importantly, Honoris 21st century skills certification is a worthy initiative that equip students with the most in-demand soft and digital skills that are essential for them to thrive in the 21st century world of work. In addition to this, collaboration with reputable organizations to provide internship opportunities for our students through strategic partnership is another valuable service that we provide for them. Internships afford students the opportunity to gain the much-needed hands-on practical experiences that can be of benefit to them when they transit to the world of work.”

Why?

“Because the world of work is evolving and the skills that employers are seeking are changing as well, therefore it has become necessary that beyond academic success, students need to be equipped with skills that will increase their ability to work cross culturally and be able to take leadership positions.”

Why is it important that we champion the importance of employability for our students?

“Delivering impactful education is at the core of Honoris, it is about being intentional in the way the next generation of leaders are educated, producing employable graduates form part of the process of impactful education. It encompasses the full educational spectrum of values from imparting knowledge and understanding to developing skills and attributes. Therefore, to ensure that our graduates are not caught in the prevalent high rate of unemployment we need to promote their employability through various value-added skills and attributes that will make them stand out from the pack and make them attractive to employers of labour or dynamic set of entrepreneurs.”